Air washer and humidifier



Feb. 28, .1933. E. J. HANSON AIR WASHER AND HUMIDIFIER Filed July 17, 1930 Ea /L Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mu. .1. unison, or mLwAnxEE. wrsoonsm, assrenoa To U. s. DIE casrme oomrm, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION AIB, WASHER AND HUHIDIFIEB:

Application filed July 17,

This invention relates to air washers and humidifiers for use primarily in conjunction with internal combustion engines although obviously capable of various other uses. The primary object of thisinvention isthe provision of novel and improved means for more efliciently washing air to free it of dust particles and other foreign matter.

A more specific object is the provision of a novel combination and arrangement of parts by which the air to be cleaned is caused to flow in wiping contact over a plurality of wet surfaces to remove dust particles from the air.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of means for cleansing the dust laden surfaces.

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of novel means for maintaining a constant water level in the casing of the cleaner.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the air washer and vaporizer.

Figure 2'is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, with an auxiliary liquid supply tank applied thereto.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of an internal combustion engine showing the air washer and humidifier applied to this enme. g The air washer and humidifier selected for illustration in the accompanying drawing comprises a rotor 10 housed within a casing 11. The casing is preferably substantially circular in form and made up of two identical parts to facilitate manufacture. A casing of this form has been shown in which each half is provided with a side wall 12 and a peripheral flange 13 extending inwardly a sufficient distance to house substantially one half of the rotor 10. This peripheral flange terminates in an outwardly turned flange 14, the face 15 of which is machined to form a smooth seat for av gasket 16. A plurality of lugs 17 are disposed aboutethe circumference of the flange 13. These lugs are provided with holes to receive bolts 17 to secure the two 1930. sum 110. 488,602.

halves of the casing together. An opening 18 1s provided at the bottom of the casing. The two bottom lugs 17 which lie closely adjacent th1s open ng 18 are cut away to form recesses 19 to receive retaining hooks 20 which have eyes 21 through which the bolts 17 pass. These 'retainin hooks 20 depend from the casing and are threaded to receive thumb nuts 22 which serve to adjustably retain a plate 23 on the hooks 20. A rubber gasket 24 surrounds the opening 18 at the bottom of the casing. receptacle 25 preferably formed of glass s supported by the plate 23 and re-' tamed tightly against the gasket 24 by the ad ustment of the thumb nuts 22. 55

The upper portion of each of the casin halves is provided with outwardly extendec l portions 26 and 27 of semi-circular form so arranged that when the casing halves are secured together the portions 26 and 27 combine with each other to form air passages 28 and 29, which communicatthrough the top of the casing. Each of these portions is reduced at its outer end to receive appropriate an intake and outlet pipes 30 and 31. The inner ends of the passages are preferably square to provide a more effective worln'ng area for the inlet air on the rotor and to provide an outlet area which will insure withdravval of the air from the rotor with the minimum resistance.

The rotor 10 which is housed within the casing is made up of a plurality of spaced vanes 32 preferably formed of thin gauge sheet metal or the like, and radially corrugated to form tortuous air passages therebetween. These vanes areseparated by spacer elements 33. End plates 34 which are permanently fixed to a shaft 35 serve to secure the vanes 32 in proper position between the spacer elements. The shaft 35 is journaled in suitable bearings in the side walls 12 of the casing 11.

A liquid supply tank 36 is provided with an opening 37 throu h which the tank may be filled. A cap 38 orms a closure for this opening and serves to seal the tank to make it air tight. One end of a liquid sup ly pipe 39 is connected to the bottom of the tank through a 'pet cook 40. The other end of this pipe 39 enters the side wall 12 at a 'oint near the bottom of the casing. One en of a vent pipe 41 communicates with the top of the supply tank 36. The other end of this pipe enters the side wall 12 of the casing at a point above that at which the supply pipe 39 enters the casing. The liquid level in the casing is determined by the position of the vent pipe 41 in the rotor chamber. Should the liquid fall below the level of the vent pipe 41 air passes through this pipe to the top of the tank 36 and ermits the liquid to flow through the supp y pipe 39 into the casing until the vent pipe opening has been submerged.

In Figure 3 of the drawing the air washer is shown applied to an internal combustion engine. The pipe 30 which is connected at one end to the inlet opening of the washer is shown terminating at its other extremity in an open ended sleeve 42 which surrounds the exhaust pipe 43 of the engine. From this arrangement it will be seen that the air which is drawn through the washer is warmed by the heat of the exhaust gases passing throu the pipe 43. The pipe 31 connects the out et port of the washer to the air inlet port of the carburetor. The suction formed by the pistons of the engine on their intake strokes draws air from the pipe 30.

The frictional wiping contact of this air upon the vanes 32 causes the rotor to turn slowly upon its axis. By virtue of thisrotation the vanes 32 are passing continuously through the liquid bath so as to continuously present wet surfaces to the flowing' air. These wet surfaces extract the dust and foreign matter from the air and as the vanes again pass through the liquid bath the dust laden Water is washed from the vanes. The dust particles thus removed remain suspended in the liquid and gravitate into the glass receptacle 25 which may be removed for the purpose of cleaning.

It will of course be understood that the liquid bath retards rotation of the rotor and by maintaining a proper liquid level excessive speed of rotation is avoided. It will also be understood that the continuous wiping contact of the air upon the wet surfaces will impart moisture to the air producing a beneficial effect upon the combustion in the motor.

Although the corrugated fan vanes hereinabove described are not essential to successful operation, the tortuous air passage insured by this form of vanes serves to provide a more thorough contact of the air with the vanes and also serves to increase the propelling effect of the air upon the rotor.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention hereinafter claimed.

I claim I- 1. In a device ofthe character described the combination of a casing formin an air conduit a rotor mounted within sai casing, a liquid reservoir within said casing, means for maintaining a predetermined liquid level in said reservoir, said rotor having a plurality of spaced vanes adapted to pass successively through the liquid in said reservoirand through the air flowing through said conduit to presentmoist surfaces to the air to free the same from foreign matter, said liquid forming a bath to free said vanes of the accumulated foreign matter, and a container removably secured to said casing to form a sediment reservoir for liquid in said casing.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a casing forming an air conduit, a rotor mounted within said casing, a liquid reservoir within said casing, means for maintaining a predetermined liquid level in said reservoir, said rotor having a plurality of spaced vanes adapted to pass successively through the li uid in said reservoir and through the air flowlng through said con-- duit to present moist surfaces to the air to free the same from foreign matter, said liquid formin a bath to free said vanes of the accumu ated foreign matter, and a glass container removably secured to said casing to forma sediment reservoir for liquid in said casin i 3. In an air cleaner the combination of a casing having a liquid reservoir and having air inlet'and outlet means for effecting a flow of air therethroughabove said reservoir, a series of axially spaced vanes projecting into said reservoir and into said air flow, said vanes being mounted for rotation in the direction of said air flow, and each of said vanes having laterally deflected surfaces spaced fromthe corresponding surfaces on the other vanes and reacting to said air flow to impart rotation to said vanes.

4. In an air cleaner the combination of a" casing forming a liquid reservoir and having air inlet and outlet means for effecting a flow of air therethrough above said reservoir, a plurality of axially spaced disks projectin into said reservoir and into said air flow, sai disks being mounted for rotation about an axis normal to said air flow, and said disks being corrugated to provide deflected surfaces reacting to said air flow to impart rota-. tion to said disks.

5. In an air cleaner the combination of a Y jecting into said reservoir and into said air.

flow, said disks being axially spaced to provide relatively narrow air channels therebe- EMIL J. HANSON. 

